I can sum up how awesome this book is in one sentence:

Nick Fury in a slim black suit, drawn by Chris Samnee.

To me, that's just a mark of the class that is involved in each issue of Captain America right now.  It had a dark patch, but the beginning of the Russian arc marked a kind of renaissance.  In both story and art there are so many quality influences swirling around that it makes my head spin, in all the right ways.  The story is split between espionage antics and Bucky's struggle for survival in the gulag.   Sharon and Black Widow gather evidence on the conspiracy against Bucky while Steve Rogers' investigation brings him in contact with Fury as they begin to realise the extent of that conspiracy.  The gulag plot is one part Oz to one part Dr Zhivago.  It's dark, brutal, primal stuff as the man spearheading the plot against Bucky is revealed.  Meanwhile, the spy plot reminds me of all the very greatest thrillers from the sixties and seventies, all Three Days of the Condor and The Ipcress File.  Brubaker has expressed recently the discomfort he felt writing the Secret Avengers team book, but it's clear that his wheelhouse is this kind of single character title which encompasses an interesting, compelling supporting cast (never more evident than when writing such strong female characters as Sharon and Natasha).

The art side of things is a joy to behold.  Samnee is a revelation these days and it's truly the perfect showcase for his genius.  The mood he brings to these pages permeates every single panel, giving every scene richness and a superb sense of fluidity.  I would imagine it's kind of an artist's dream, as Brubaker gives him stunning 60s styled female spies, Nick goddamn Fury and, oh yes, the flying car!  Over in Russia it seems that Butch Guice is bringing his A-game to compete.  No doubt the assistance of Stefano Gaudiano helps, and together they give us highly detailed, perfectly rendered pages that encompass the styles of Aja, Steranko and Daredevil era Miller.  Holding all this beauty together are the colours of the ever brilliant Bettie Breitweiser.

When this book started to feel a little lost and directionless, it seemed to be around the same time it lost Steve Epting.  Now that it's managed an exceptional leap in artistic style, the book is back on the rails, and what a nice coincidence that is.